At 53 years old I learned to drive a motorcycle. My husband was convinced this could be our mode of transportation for several years and was a patient, enthusiastic, encouraging teacher. The first several heart-pounding attempts to "ride solo" amounted to a drive down our lane in 1st gear and making sure I understood the brakes. Several days later, I got brave enough to shift into 2nd and make a u-turn in the cul-de-sac. Four days of that actually got a embarrassing as the maids and gardeners looked on.
The first day I decided to take the motorcycle for a ride while Eric was at work consisted of straddling the Yamaha 150cc and walking it from the car port to the street. Once on the street I mentally went through all the steps to start it: squeeze the clutch with my left hand, put in neutral with left foot, squeeze the brake with right hand, push the ignition with right thumb, rev the engine, gradually release the clutch and turn the throttle. I tried not to close my eyes as I started rolling.
The neighborhood workers got a big kick out of my progress. Some even clapped their hands when, after a slow spin around the neighborhood in 2nd gear, I arrived home safely in one piece albeit it with turn signal blinking. (Why don't turn signals don't automatically turn off, anyway?!...)
Fast forward two months and I'm now a "motorcycle mama in Malaysia." Like my fellow Malaysian bikers, I can now weave the cycle through rows of cars waiting for the green light and join the ten or more scooters and motorcycles at the front of the line. Waiting for the light to turn green, my left foot stomps the whatchamacallit down into first, I rev the throttle with my right hand and I smile confidently at the 14 year old boys envying the bike. (Darn..and I thought it was me they were looking at) As soon as the light turns green they try to prove their masculinity with their Chinese scooters and race into the intersection. I let them feel manly as they ahead down the road, but it's not difficult to catch them as they putter forward, smoke billowing from behind, illuminating a slightly flat rear tire.
This motorcycle mama can now ride in the motorcycle lane with confidence and no longer panic when a fellow cyclist chooses to ride against traffic. The unwritten law in that situation is that I move to the right of the motorcycle lane and the guy (I've never seen a girl riding against traffic) moves to the left...Considering we drive on the left here (British style) that little "unwritten rule" used to be quite scary. Do I go left, right, stop, die?...
I thank Eric every day that he bought a biggish motorcycle. (I know 150 cc is small by US standards but almost everyone has very tiny scooters over here so ours is big in comparison.) I actually feel safer being to ride at the speed of traffic, especially when I need to change lanes to make a right turn than I do on my bicycle, or I did when I used to ride the motorcycle really slowly. To put the "speed" thing in perspective, the normal speed here in town is about 60 kph (about 30 mph). On a small highway, I once got the speed up to 80 kph (49 mph) but it felt like my helmet was going to blow off so I slowed down.
My favorite ride is to and from the gym. I've mentioned the sweating problem of exercise caused by intensity, humidity, and no air conditioning and the motorcycle ride is the perfect anecdote. The wind in my face - I have to leave the helmet face guard up for the first few blocks to prevent fogging - and through my shirt acts like the perfect evaporator air cooler. And on a really good day, I make all the lights, so sweat doesn't pour across my eyelids, down my chin, and out the bottom of the helmet while waiting for the light to turn.
Now it's time for a bit of honesty. I like to think of myself as a" motorcycle mama", but I can't honestly put myself in the same league as some of the local "mamas", I would need to add a few more "rider skills" to my repertoire. For example to be considered a really competent motorcycle mama I would need to be able to:
1. Light a cigarette at a red light. Smoke the cigarette as much as I can, and let the lighted butt dangle between my left fingers until the next red light where I can finish it.
2. Light the cigarette and continue bringing the cigarette to my lips with my left hand while driving with my right hand. I guess here's where a scooter could be an advantage...no clutch needed.
3. Text while driving the motorcycle.
4. Text while driving on the wrong side of the motorcycle lane.
5. Pick up three children from school and give them a ride home: toddler standing in the basket in front, elementary age child squeezed in the middle (gives a whole new meaning to middle child) and oldest child hanging off the back with one or two school bags hanging off his or her back.
6. Drive with high heels or flip-flops.
7. Carry 3 natural gas canisters.
I guess I've got some more practicing to do.
NB. The motorcycle as transport is nice in theory. Rain, speed bumps, a week's worth of groceries, and two riders at one time make this NOT such a comfortable ride for the long haul. But it sure is fun for short errands!
The first day I decided to take the motorcycle for a ride while Eric was at work consisted of straddling the Yamaha 150cc and walking it from the car port to the street. Once on the street I mentally went through all the steps to start it: squeeze the clutch with my left hand, put in neutral with left foot, squeeze the brake with right hand, push the ignition with right thumb, rev the engine, gradually release the clutch and turn the throttle. I tried not to close my eyes as I started rolling.
The neighborhood workers got a big kick out of my progress. Some even clapped their hands when, after a slow spin around the neighborhood in 2nd gear, I arrived home safely in one piece albeit it with turn signal blinking. (Why don't turn signals don't automatically turn off, anyway?!...)
Fast forward two months and I'm now a "motorcycle mama in Malaysia." Like my fellow Malaysian bikers, I can now weave the cycle through rows of cars waiting for the green light and join the ten or more scooters and motorcycles at the front of the line. Waiting for the light to turn green, my left foot stomps the whatchamacallit down into first, I rev the throttle with my right hand and I smile confidently at the 14 year old boys envying the bike. (Darn..and I thought it was me they were looking at) As soon as the light turns green they try to prove their masculinity with their Chinese scooters and race into the intersection. I let them feel manly as they ahead down the road, but it's not difficult to catch them as they putter forward, smoke billowing from behind, illuminating a slightly flat rear tire.
This motorcycle mama can now ride in the motorcycle lane with confidence and no longer panic when a fellow cyclist chooses to ride against traffic. The unwritten law in that situation is that I move to the right of the motorcycle lane and the guy (I've never seen a girl riding against traffic) moves to the left...Considering we drive on the left here (British style) that little "unwritten rule" used to be quite scary. Do I go left, right, stop, die?...
I thank Eric every day that he bought a biggish motorcycle. (I know 150 cc is small by US standards but almost everyone has very tiny scooters over here so ours is big in comparison.) I actually feel safer being to ride at the speed of traffic, especially when I need to change lanes to make a right turn than I do on my bicycle, or I did when I used to ride the motorcycle really slowly. To put the "speed" thing in perspective, the normal speed here in town is about 60 kph (about 30 mph). On a small highway, I once got the speed up to 80 kph (49 mph) but it felt like my helmet was going to blow off so I slowed down.
My favorite ride is to and from the gym. I've mentioned the sweating problem of exercise caused by intensity, humidity, and no air conditioning and the motorcycle ride is the perfect anecdote. The wind in my face - I have to leave the helmet face guard up for the first few blocks to prevent fogging - and through my shirt acts like the perfect evaporator air cooler. And on a really good day, I make all the lights, so sweat doesn't pour across my eyelids, down my chin, and out the bottom of the helmet while waiting for the light to turn.
Now it's time for a bit of honesty. I like to think of myself as a" motorcycle mama", but I can't honestly put myself in the same league as some of the local "mamas", I would need to add a few more "rider skills" to my repertoire. For example to be considered a really competent motorcycle mama I would need to be able to:
1. Light a cigarette at a red light. Smoke the cigarette as much as I can, and let the lighted butt dangle between my left fingers until the next red light where I can finish it.
2. Light the cigarette and continue bringing the cigarette to my lips with my left hand while driving with my right hand. I guess here's where a scooter could be an advantage...no clutch needed.
3. Text while driving the motorcycle.
4. Text while driving on the wrong side of the motorcycle lane.
5. Pick up three children from school and give them a ride home: toddler standing in the basket in front, elementary age child squeezed in the middle (gives a whole new meaning to middle child) and oldest child hanging off the back with one or two school bags hanging off his or her back.
6. Drive with high heels or flip-flops.
7. Carry 3 natural gas canisters.
I guess I've got some more practicing to do.
NB. The motorcycle as transport is nice in theory. Rain, speed bumps, a week's worth of groceries, and two riders at one time make this NOT such a comfortable ride for the long haul. But it sure is fun for short errands!
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